To support its mobile concept of modern warfare, Germany introduced a wide range of tracked and wheeled armored vehicles. One wheeled family of vehicles introduced in 1936 included 4x4 armored cars known as the, which translates as Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle. Powered by a Horch engine, these vehicles were based on a Horch 801 heavy car chassis to which an armored body was added. Early in WWII it performed well enough as a reconnaissance vehicle for panzer divisions, although its off-road capability let it down. Dragon Armor is introducing a model from the Leichter Panzerspahwagen family - the Sd. Kfz. 222. It is armed with a 2cm KwK.30 L/55 cannon and MG34 machine gun in an open-top turret. A crew of three operated the Sd. Kfz. 222.

Pictured here is a 1:30 scale replica of a German Sd. Kfz. 222 recon vehicle with rider from the 9.SS Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen."
Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 7-inches
Width: 3-inches

Release Date: April 2008

Historical Account: "Grabner's Attack" - The 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalions pushed towards the Arnhem bridge during the early hours of September 18th, 1944, and made good progress, but they were frequently halted in skirmishes as soon as it became daylight. With their long and unwieldy columns having to halt to beat off attacks whilst the troops in front carried on unaware, it was easy for the Germans to delay segments of the two battalions, fragment them, and mop up the remnants.

Early in the day, the 9th SS Reconnaissance Battalion, sent south the day before, concluded it was not needed in Nijmegen and returned to Arnhem. Though aware of the British troops at the bridge, it attempted to cross by force and was beaten back with heavy losses, including its commanding officer, SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Paul Grabner.

By the end of the day, the 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalions had entered Arnhem and were within a mile of the bridge with approximately 200 men, one-sixth their original strength. Most of the officers and noncomissioned officers had become casualties. The Second Lift, delayed by fog and jumping onto a heavily disputed landing zone, landed a full strength Brigade (The 4th Parachute Brigade, consisting of the 10th, 11th and 156th Battalions of the Parachute Regiment, commanded by then-Brigadier, later General Sir John Winthrop Hackett) and C and D Companies of the 2nd South Staffordshire Regiment.